Aeroplane fin



Oct' I8 1927' H. c. A. PoTEz AEROPLANE FIN Filed Feb. 26, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct- 18 1927 H. c. A. PoTr-:z

AEROPLANE FI N Filed Feb. 26. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 18,1927.

UNITED STATES HENRY CHARLES ALEXANDRE POTEZ, F LEVALLOIS-PERRET, FRANCE.

.AEROPLANE FIN.

Application tiled February 26, 1926, Serial No. 90,978, and in FranceMarch 6, 1925.

The present invention relates to an arrangement whereby the incidence ofthe horizontal fin or tail part of an aeroplane can be regulated when inHight, while at the r same time the construction of such parts will havethe same strength as that of the stationary tail parts.

The appended drawings Show by way .of example a practical embodiment ofthe 1nlu vention.

Fig. 1 is a section upon the aeroplane.'

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a same figure.

Fig. 4 is a view of the mechanism on a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a section, on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, of the control itself.

The horizontal tin 1, which is now movable, consists of a framecomprising a transverse bar 2 which is .secured to the oblique bars 3and 4 and to an axial bar 5; these latter members are secured to therear crossbar 6 which carries the pivot melnbers of the stabilizer.

The transverse bar 2 is pivoted by the supports 7 and 8 to the points ofconnection with the bars 3 and 4, by means of the supporting plates orblocks 9 and 10 which are mounted on the bracing members 11, 12 and 13,14 which are attached to the main body or fuselage at their lower ends.

The same bar 2 is further pivoted directly to the fuselage at the points15 and 16. The tail part or iin is thus mounted in such manner as topivot about an axis parallel with the bar 2. Said bar is mounted betweenthe anterior and posterior edges of the fin at some distance thereof.The oscillations are controlled by the vertical displacements of thefront end of the axial bar 5; the use of this rigid axial bar enables itto control the dis lacements of the fin from a single point an b meansof a master part of said fin. For tris purpose, the end of the saidaxial bar 5 is slidable in a sleeve 17 carrying av fork which is mountedby means of an axle 18 5o upon a nut 19 which is vertically movable ineither 'direction upon the screw 20.

The rotation of the said screw-which is mounted vertically on thefuselage by means of a double support 21-is effected (Fig. 4)

by the traction of the cables 22 or 23 which are Wound on a helicalportion formed on the centre line of section on the line 3-3 of the thedrum 24 which is coaxial with and below the screw 2() and is securedthereto at 25 and 2G. The said support is mounted close to the said drumthereby preventing the escape, of any coil of said cables out of thecorresponding groove during the controlling operation of the fin and thecables pass through a slot in the support. The screw thread of saidhelix is cut somewhat deeply into the said cable drum, and the cableshave a suflicient diameter whereby they will remain within thescrewthread.

The driver is enabled to control the said cables by the use of a handwheel 27 secured to a screwthreadcd drum 28 into the threads of whichthe said cables are wound, each of the cables being attached to the drumat a suitable point.

The operation is as follows:

The driver turns his hand wheel 2T in the direction of the arrow, thuswinding the cable 23 upon the drum 28. while the cable 22 unwinds. Thecable 23 is now unwound from the drum 24. thus rotating the said drum.whilst the cable 22 becomes wound in the place which is left free by thecable 23. Due to this arrangement for the simultaneous winding andunwinding of the cables relative to the same drum, the size of the drumcan be reduced to a minimum.

By the said arrangement` the driver controls the vertical motion of thenut 19 on the said screw in the direction of the arrow, and thus effectsthe pivoting movement of the tin.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the constructionsherein set forth, these being given solely by way of example.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an aeroplane iin or rudder comprising a mainaxial control bar the front part of which is adapted to be movedvertically in either direction, a number of transverse bars, one of thembeing rockingly mounted on the aeroplane body, and secured to said axialcontrol bar, a double support mounted on the aeroplane body, a screwloosely mounted on said support and adapted to operatively rotate aboutits own axis, a sliding member adapted to cooperate with the front partof said main axial control bar, a nut rockingly secured to said slidingmember and adapted to operatively engage said screw and means under thepilots control for rotating said screw.

2. In combination with an aeroplane fin or rudder comprising a mainaxial control bar the front part of which is adapted to be movedvertically in either direction, a number of transverse bars, one of thembeing located at a distance from the front edge and the rear edge ofsaid lin and rockingly mounted on the aeroplane body and secured to saidaxial control bar, a double support mounted on the aeroplane body, ascrew loosely mounted on said support and adapt-- ed to operativelyrotate about its own axis, a sliding member adapted to cooperate withthe front part of said main axial lcontrol bar, a nut rockingly securedto said sliding member and adapted to operatively engage said screw andmeans under the pilots control for rotating said screw.

3. In an aeroplane fin or rudder the combination of a main axial controlbar the front part of which is adapted tobe moved vertically in eitherdirection, a number of transverse bars, one of them being rockinglymounted on the aeroplane body, and secured to said axial control bar, anumber of oblique bars, outer rocking supports located at crossingpoints of said oblique bars and said transverse bars, intermediaterocking supports and means under the pilots control for moving saidaxial control bar.

4. In combination with an aeroplane fin or rudder comprising a mainaxial control bar the front part of which is adapted to be movedvertically in either direction, a number of transverse bars, one of thembeing rockingly mounted on the aeroplane body, and secured to said axialcontrol bar, a double support mounted on the aeroplane body, a screwloosely mounted on said support and adapted to operatively rotate aboutits own axis, a sliding member adapted to cooperate with the front partof said main axial control bar, a nut rockingly secured to said slidingmember and adapted to operatively engage said screw, a. drum coaxialwith said screw and rigidly secured thereto,

the periphery thereof being provided with deep helical grooves, a rotarycontrol member under the pilots control, the periphery thereof beingprovided with similar deep helical grooves, a number of cables adaptedto simultaneously and operatively engage the said deep helical grooveson said drum and said rotary control member and to operatively connectsaid drum and said rotary control member, whereby the incidence of said1in is at any instant under the pilots control.

5. In combination with an aeroplane fin or rudder comprising a mainaxial control bar the front part of which is adapted to be movedvertically in either direction, a number of transverse bars, one of thembeing rockingly mounted on the aeroplane body, and secured to said axialcontrol bar, a double support mounted on the aeroplane body, a screwloosely mounted on said support and adapted to operatively rotate aboutits own axis, a sliding member adapted to cooperate with the front partof said main axial control bar, a nut rockingly secured to said slidingmember and adapted to operatively engage said screw, a drum coaxial withsaid screw and rigidly secured thereto, the periphery thereof beingprovided with deep helical grooves, said double support surroundingclosely Said drum over the greatest portion of its periphery, a rotarycontrol member under the pilots control the periphery thereof beingprovided with similar deep helical grooves, a number of cables adaptedto simultaneously and operatively engage the said deep helical grooveson said drum and said rotary control member and to operatively connectsaid drum and said rotary control member, whereby the incidence o saidfin is at any instant under the pilots control.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY CHARLES ALEXANDRE POTEZ.

